Pours ominously dark, like a strong cup o' joe, with only a sliver of brown lacing. On the lips, it is surprisingly silky, almost oily, not nearly as thick as the color would have you believe. Taste is - wow, starting sweet, maybe with some alcohol hotness, then turning into dark chocolate, bitterness coming out, espresso flavors in the finish. Based on the smoothness of the mouthfeel and the flavors that remain interesting throughout, it is highly drinkable, though the alcohol will catch up to you.

I don't know if it's worth the hype necessarily, but it's a good beer.

Picked up a (overpriced) single earlier this week at Table & Vine. Luckily, my awesome girlfriend picked me up a 4-pack out in Worcester today, so I feel fine about drinking this now. Pours a truly evil shade of black, nice creamy 1-finger tan head. Looks good the whole time and leaves some nice lacing. Smell is incredible, smells like rich vanilla bourbon, throw some great chocolate and oak/caramel and you've got the smell of this beer. If I blindly smelled this I would probably think it's some chocolate mix drink. I only pick up a very slight coffee scents. Taste seems to be chocolate right off the bat, followed by strong tastes of bitter roasted coffee, then finishes with a vanilla/strong bourbon taste. I truthfully pick up a bit more bourbon in the nose than in the taste. It is an extreme taste at times though, sitting on the tongue long after a sip and burning the nostrils slightly. The alcohol is definitely a bit much but it has a great warming affect. Mouthfeel is definitely more creamy than thick, coats the mouth nicely. Definitely hot on the mouth and throat especially with booze though. Drinkability I gotta pin at a 3.5 because of that too. Overall another excellent beer from Founders, but the alcohol is too hot and the flavors don't jump out enough. I don't think it really lives up to the hype, fresh anyways. As of right now I prefer the regular Breakfast Stout, but I'm going to save the rest for at least a year and re-review/put notes here...

*More notes - 3/17/11 - 1 year old bottle*

Alcohol is toned down for sure from the fresh bottle, but still a little hot for my tastes. The chocolate and coffee are really intense, and balance out the bourbon nicely, tastes linger on the tongue long afterwords as it writhes from the madness. Smooth oily mouthfeel, low carbonation, feels a bit thin to me though. Very roasty and strong. Too hot for me to consider it one of the best stouts I've had, but undeniably excellent flavors here. Overall I did prefer the aged bottle to the fresh one.

2015 Bottle
Pours jet black with a 1/2" caramel head. The aroma is strong coffee, dark chocolate, some bourbon, vanilla & molasses notes. Taste is like the nose, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, balanced with bourbon and vanilla oak. Has a oak dry finish. Full bodied with more carbonation than expected.

Would preferred less carbonation and thought the finish was quite oaky & dry.

Overall- first time experiencing KBS and must say it lives up to the hype. A very well crafted and delicious beer. Complex and balanced.

T: All the above mentioned aromas blend very nicely in the taste with a nice finish of bourbon and booze. The bourbon is perfect, the booze is a little too much. Everything blends together very nicely. If the booziness was a little less I would have given it a 5.

M: Thick-bodied! Very full mouthfeel on this one. This is how a big stout should be.

D: As mentioned above, the booziness detracts a little from the drinkability of this, along with the 11.2% abv

I first sampled this last year when I first picked it up and it was much 'hotter'. It has definitely dissipated quite a bit but is still a little on the hot side. With that said, this is a very well-done, big stout. I still have another '09 to have, along with a couple of '10's. Another gem from Founders!!!!

A: Absolutely pitch black with a brownish coffee tint (may be my imagination). No light penetration when held to a lamp. Pours with half a finger of tan-colored head, which recedes into a collar with light filming on top of the brew. No lacing.

T: Follows the nose perfectly. Coffee and bourbon are quite strong; I know this isn't barrel-aged FBS, but I swear that's the first thing that comes to mind. Vanilla and roasted malt, with the mid-taste seeing a rounded out coffee and dark chocolate bitterness. Oak hints throughout, but the finish is all alcohol and chocolate, with a pleasant warmth on the way down (an occasional burn, though). Very impressive.

M: Velvety and creamy from the full body and low carbonation. A little alcohol warmth at the end of a swig, but it's not fusel-y.

D: The recipe change threw me off a bit last year, but the 2010 vintage is amazing. I enjoy this more than Peruvian Morning (another bourbon coffee stout), and more than some other competitors in the style. Really top-notch stuff, and it amazes me that it's so plentiful and relatively cheap. I should get a case of this or something.

Bourbon. No avoiding that but at the same time, one sip you get the dark chocolate aroma, while the next is an espresso, then a sweet molasses, etc. Keeps you guessing which one will pop up as you drink.

Lightish mouth feel. Not bad, but the barrel aging has thinned down the oatmeal base maybe a touch too much.

I've had the opportunity to have this beer for the past 3-4 years, both in bottles and on tap. To be perfectly honest, I enjoy it more fresh (as I've also had aged varieties both on tap and from a bottle). The more it ages, the more alcohol / bourbon I taste. While some prefer this, I prefer the alcohol/bourbon taste to be present, yet more mild.

I would give the 'fresh' (if you can call a beer aged a around a year in bourbon barrels such a thing) KBS a rating of 4.75, while the aged KBS rates 4.25.

T - am I drinking a beer or a coffee? it's got a very nice stout taste, lots of coffee flavors, definitely taste some chocolate, and even seems a bit creamy, reminding me of an irish coffee. I also can taste the bourbon flavoring quite well.

M - not as thick as it looks, very smooth and no carbonation at all. the alcohol is there but do not feel any burn

D - 11.2% Holy Shit! I don't feel any burn at all. I might need to wake up to a KBS every morning to start my day off right! I would have again, wouldn't mind aging one of these beasts for a year or so and tasting again.

Glad to finally get ahold of a bottle. Looking forward to trying it and found a nice cool evening even in June to enjoy.

The beer pours a very dark and truly opaque black. Not even the slightest hint of ruby or brown along the edges of the glass to let in the light. The mocha colored head briefly fights to maintain its height, but eventually falls to a foamy collar.

The scent is wonderful and complex. Slight char from the oak barrels and a nice roasted scent without being overwhelming. Nice hints of vanilla and maybe even a touch of allspice. A bit of dark sugar and treacle to round things out.

The flavor is not an overpowering onslaught I had anticipated. No doubt it's a big beer, but it's a nice complexity rather than a strong punch of flavor. The vanilla comes through nicely giving a sweet impression. This fades to the dark sugar and roasted flavors. The oak and bourbon inter plays nicely rather than feeling layered on as can sometimes be the case. Finishes with a slightly bitter roasted bight, but still comes off as silky smooth. No astringency. Mouthfeel is thick and heavy.

Overall a fantastic brew. Wish it was more readily available, but the long aging time must make it difficult to distribute to a wide audience. Glad I had the chance to enjoy it and will keep an eye out each year.

Very very black color. Had a wonderful charred bourbon aftertaste that i really liked after the third sip. Once again like the darklord I taste a very dark chocolate like a 72% or higher of coco. I did prefer this beer over the Darklord.
This is also another beer that i think only one bottle would be my fill since it is so heavy, but i savored it and drank it slow. I wonder what bourbon barrel it was in to get that taste. Maybe a makers mark or a pappy van winkel if we are lucky.

It was great - a phenomenal beer. I had the 2015 version. Recently had 2013 & 2014 BCBS which I thought were both superior to this though. My take was that KBS '15 should age a bit. There was a sharpness to it that made me think the edge could be smoothed out with a little more time. I have one more that I'll wait on. It was still an incredibly delicious beer.

Poured from a 12oz bottle (bottled 03Mar15) into a Spiegelau stout glass.
LOOK: Pours with a half finger's worth of khaki foam that halves itself after 50 seconds. Black in color with orange tint. Rising bubbles are very small in size and moderate in quantity. Lacing is thick and moderate.
SMELL: Strong aromas of molasses, figs, and plums, entangle with mild aromas of vanilla, sweet chocolate, sweet coffee, and subtle aromas of oak, bourbon, and bitter roasted malts.
TASTE: Initial taste is of strong molasses, fig, and plum flavors. Mild sweet chocolate, vanilla, and sweet coffee flavors enter right after. Next, enters mild flavors of oak along with subtle flavors of bourbon and bitter roasted malts as all flavors persist, except for vanilla and coffee, which grow stronger.
FEEL: Full-bodied with hints of carbonation. Goes down smoother than a Keystone and creamier than cream itself. Finishes with a moderate dryness.
NOTE: An amazing imperial stout, however, I feel this is strongly hyped. I have definitely had better.
______________________________
2016 Release
Poured at 48°F from a 12oz bottle (bottled on 12Feb16) into a Spiegelau Stout glass. Allowed to warm up to 50°F before reviewing. Consumed on 11May16.
LOOK: A fingers worth of dense, cinnamon colored foam is formed after the initial pour. Well after 3 minutes, the foam head hasn't receded, but has only become slightly less dense and has changed color to khaki. Black in color with an orange luster. A plethora of small, rising bubbles explains the head's refusal to die. Lacing is high in quantity and both thick and very thick.
SMELL: Strong aromas of coconut, sweet chocolate, and sweet coffee entangle with mild bourbon and oak aromas. Subtle aromas of vanilla and molasses further contribute to the complexity of the sweetness while hints of bitter roasted malts join the bourbon aromas in bringing balance to the brew.
TASTE: A wondrous sweetness takes hold of the palate as strong sweet chocolate, sweet coffee, and coconut flavors enter. Mild bourbon flavors grab onto the palate right after and ensure that no cloying takes place. Sweet coffee flavors fade to mild as mild molasses along with subtle vanilla and oak flavors make their debut. Hints of bitter roasted malts trail lastly as chocolate, coffee, and coconut flavors maintain, but bourbon, molasses, vanilla, and oak flavors all grow slightly stronger.
FEEL: The thickness of the beer lies somewhere between medium-bodied and full-bodied. Given that this is an Imperial Stout, that is quite disappointing. Carbonation levels are subtle. The beer goes down smooth and creamy. Due to the large alcoholic presence, this finishes with a strong and unpleasant dryness.

What an exceptional beer. This has been on the list of beers I've been wanting to try since the second I heard about it. Founders has continued to not disappoint with their offerings.

It pours beautifully with a short dense light brown head. It holds onto a nice little film of foam which leaves lacing down the side of the glass. Really exceptional aroma. Huge coffee notes, with mild mocha chocolate and light bourbon in the background. The taste is the same, with a mild pleasant alcohol burn. It is chocolate, coffee, creamy, and a very small dash of bourbon to add character. As a matter of fact, I was expecting a bit more of the bourbon -bal or oak in here, as i thought a touch more vanilla would be really nice with the other flavors. As such, it is extraordinarily balanced. The mouthfeel is creamy and full bodied. Really happy with founders on this beer. Delicious beer.

A: Into the oversized Riedel snifter it goes. Pours thick like motor oil, almost as black too. Not a lot of carbonation going on a head conjured quickly but fell just as quick leaving a slick across the top remaining.

S: Fully roasted and choc full of nuts. Copius amounts of freshly ground espresso, bitter bakers chocolate and some oily licorice dominate the nose. In the highs the bourbon can be found, especially as it warms.

T: Begins with strong brewed coffee, totally charred. Chocolate mousse like flavors accompany the coffee and create a quite decadent moment. The more I drink it, the more pronounced and exhilarating the vanilla becomes. Totally creamy, shares a lot of traits with a chocolate milkshake thanks to abundant lactose. They dont try to hide the alcohol here, its present and accounted for. Only faint bourbon tastes, picking up most of the vanilla and not a lot of the astringent off flavors bourbon barrels can give.

M: Full body, creamy and rich. Perfect.

D: First sip I wasnt impressed at all. This is one of those beers that definitely grows on you. In all honesty, I could certainly use some more bourbon character I think it would have balanced well with the rest of the flavors. Its a great stout but I dont think its the best.

Dear Santa,
All I want for Christmas is more bourbon barrel aged beers. Maybe a redux of the Wood Aged Weekend? I will settle simply for a 6er of KBS, though. All I really need is that coffee and bourbon, The Big wood and vanilla, angry notes of black magic. Those things that make my gums tingle and my heart sing. Bittersweet. Perhaps some notes of chocolate and astringent wood and coffee.
I have been (mostly) good this year. I should not have set off bottle rockets inside of the indian casino, but other than that, I think I've been the model of "what is good." Thanks for listening,
Love,
Joe

PS: The most recent bottle I had was way better than the watered down version that was my first experience of KBS. That first one alone is what keeps this from more 5s.

Dammit, KBS. I'm going to have to make a shift in the ratings here on account of 2 of the 3 bottles now that I've had not being at all up to the amazing record. Only the middle bottle has been outstanding. The first was crazy over the top coffee, this one currently is bourboncentric. Those two were from the same trade. Zany, yes.

O:
Really nice BA Stout.
This one is a tasty, boozy beer that is very smooth and strikes a good balance between all the characteristics at work. The aromas are a smooth stream of chocolatey tones with a roasty, oily coffee backbone and some sweet roast notes. The flavor follows suit. The bourbon is at a nice level for my tastes. It is definitely there and can even be felt going down, but I don't feel like I am drinking whiskey like I do with some BA stouts. Based on it's heat, maybe this is cause the base beer is so crammed full of flavor that it overpowers the sharpness or maybe it's cause it's a year old? Either way, it is a smooth velvety beer, that is way too drinkable and manages to be straightforward and complex at once. Really nice. Hopefully I get to try it again at some point. (4.5)

Spun a few yarns with some good ole boys with this one on 5/27/2007. 12-oz. bottle poured in a shaker glass.

Very thin camisol of threaded beading hides the core of the pour with a truly nice red-brown hue to the striations. Plentiful, spiderpig webbing of lace throughout. On the nose, mahogany, linseed oil, coca cola, French roast coffee, and chocolate caramel all mix together for a powerful karate chop to the olfactory senses. Enormous coffee jackhammer on the tongue, with a cherry infused chocolate trifle boring like sugary good acid through the tonsils, a smoky applewood trickling down the throat, suffusing every part above the neck in a sea of sublime super stout. Medium-heavy body, very silky.

Pours a deep black, good opaque depth in it, and decent sized head of brown bubbles. Nice lace. Nose was my favorite quality of the beer with some very seductive bourbon dark-chocolatey notes, and roasty aromas. Big body on the palate, heavy dark chocolate, and plenty of bourbon booziness. Perhaps too boozy.

A - Pitch black with some head and a little foam and lacing. I honestly have no clue how to judge the appearance of a good RIS. They're black, they all have a little bit of foam. I'll give it the obligatory and completely arbitrary 4.5.

S - Coffee, chocolate, and a little vanilla. Don't get the barrel's bourbon in the nose.

T - Taste follows the nose with a little oak and woodiness from the barrel. This tastes really good, but it has Kentucky in the name and I'm not getting any bourbon taste or alcohol.

O - This is a great beer, but I think a little bourbon flavor would make it even better. I remember more bourbon from the times I've had it before, but who knows if my beer memory is reliable. Honestly if "kentucky" wasn't in the name I'd probably be blown away by how good of a coffee stout this is, but since "kentucky" is in the name I think it's missing a little something.

Well, I must say that I got sticker shock when I picked up the 4 pack of this stuff today. Party Source in Bellview, KY: 4 pack of 12 oz bottles: $23.95! OUCH! But, you only go around once in this life so....

I poured the contents into my trusty pint glass. I noticed right away that it would take a rough pour to produce any head.... so I raised the bottle up and was gratified with a healthy inch of tight tan foam. The beer was as black as the night and you couldn't even see through it when held to a bright light source. The head slowly dwindled down to a thick cap over time, but left healthy stickage down the side of the glass as I drank.

The smell was very apparent and nice! Lot's of coffee, bourbon, chocolate all swirling around.... very nice!

The taste: Very surprising.... I could definately pick up on the bourbon barrel aging.... big bourbon taste right up front. But, the taste was quickly tempered by some nice rich coffee and sweet roasted malty taste.

Mouthfeel: Here is where this beer excels. This is a thick, chewey beer.... just like I like it. Gotta give it a "5".

Drinkability: This is definately a sipper.... but ya gotta try this stuff.... just bite the bullet and go for it. (Was I ripped off at 6 bucks a bottle?). I at least had to do it once. I probably won't beat a path to the beer store to pay $6 a bottle again.... but I HAD TO TRY IT. I was glad I did.

A:Poured a nice heavy black with brown showing through on the edges when light shines through. Very much like thick coffee in appearance. An aggressive pour left a small creamy brown head which faded pretty quick.

S:Smelled of chocolate, plenty of coffee and roast on the nose. Along with a bit of bourbon which went along nicely with the slight oak/wood smell. This lets it origins be known.

T:There were some slight similarities to FBS. This had plenty of heavy hitting characteristics going on at once. Sweet chocolate, delicious coffee, vanilla and molasses like sweetness, and definite straight oak flavor on the tail end. Not alot if any hop pressence

M:This went from creamy and sticky to dry and bitter. They both worked complimented eachother nicely and kept anything from being too overwhelming.

D:This was a very drinkable, enjoyable brew. A great unique treat. Nothing is needed to accompany this due to the various heavy flavor and feel throughout. It finished a bit dry while it was extremly fresh but that was about the only thing close to a complaint I could come up with for this thing.

I've been wanting to try this one for a while. Pleased as punch it made it to MN.

Jet black colour, one finger of dark tan head, some lace around the top of the glass. Smell is of roasted malt and coffee, bourbon, vanilla and oak, chocolate both milk and dark, fudge with some nice bittersweet notes. Taste has a big roasted malt flavour, bourbon follows close, oak, vanilla and chocolate, roasted coffee beans, nice build up of flavour here, chocolate and vanilla aftertaste. Lush mouthfeel, light carbonation, full body and quite silky. This was simply outstanding stuff, incredibly complex but nice balance of flavours, this is with out a doubt one of the best imperial stouts I have ever had.